TITLE:
Diversity of Species Used as Toothbrushes in the District of Kpakpamè (Commune of Za-Kpota) in the Department of Zou in Benin
AUTHORS:
Rachad K. F. M. Ali
KEYWORDS:
Benin, Biodiversity, Forest Products, Vegetable Toothbrush
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.12 No.12,
December
30,
2024
ABSTRACT: Vegetable toothbrushes are secondary forest products with health, medicinal, and pharmaceutical properties. They constitute an important resource permanently exploited by the populations of the Kpakpamè District. This research aims to identify the different plants used by the populations of Kpakpamè as toothbrushes and their therapeutic values. To reach this objective, documentary research, direct observation, and data collection from hundred and ninety-five (195) people randomly chosen but following well-defined criteria were carried out. The consensus value for plant parts noted CPP, is calculated to find the number of times a plant part is cited (Px) divided by the total number of times all parts are cited (Pt), and also to determine the most frequent collection sites, the consensus value for collection sites is calculated. In total, nineteen (19) species have been cited and grouped into nineteen (19) genera and eleven (11) families. Pseudocedrella kostchyi and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides are the most cited species with respective citation frequencies of 0.27 and 0.14. They come more from village lands with a Consensus value for collection sites (CCS) of 0.49 and are used to cure about twelve (12) diseases including dental caries (33.33%). These species are now almost threatened with extinction according to the IUCN. It is therefore important to develop safeguarding and sustainable conservation actions for these plant species. This work has made it possible to identify the different species used by the populations of the Kpakpamé district as toothbrushes despite the urbanization and modernization of this locality formerly known in the Zou department as the most endogenous region. Several studies have focused on the diversity of plants used for oral hygiene and even the phytochemical properties of the species identified without taking into account the phytodistrict, social and perceptions of local populations.